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Meet Your New Vikings: DE Lawrence Jackson

With the offseason program set to kick into high gear on Tuesday as Phase 3 begins and Organized Team Activities launch, fans will start to see more and more of the Vikings players in action. So now is the time to make sure there are no more unfamiliar faces.

We familiarized you with several new faces on the day the offseason program launched. But over the next few days we’ll highlight a few more new Vikings who haven’t garnered the type of attention that a high-profile free agent signing like Greg Jennings does.

The Vikings signed a former 1st-round DE who is in the prime of his career. That would typically be pretty splashy news and would command attention and conjure conversation. But because the Vikings made the move on April 29, during the headline-grabbing event that is the NFL draft, the move went under the radar.

But now, the thinking is that Lawrence Jackson will learn the Vikings defense, fit in well with the scheme, and play at a level worthy of earning a roster spot and improving the talent level of the defensive line. That will be a worthy challenge for the 6-year pro, as he joins a defensive line position group that is jam-packed with 16 players, including all 4 returning starters and 2 draft picks.

NFL Profile: Drafted by Seattle in 2008 and played there through 2009, where he recorded 6.5 sacks in 32 games played with 24 starts; traded to Detroit in August 2010 for a 6th-round pick and recorded 6.0 sacks in 11 games during his first season there before recording 7.0 more sacks in 2011-12.

Think he's a decent signing, clearly will push for the 4th DE spot behind Allen, Robison, and Griffen. But maybe more importantly how he figures in possibly for the 2014 season when the first three I mentioned above are all free agents.

I honestly think that we franchise Allen for the next 2 years, or maybe sign him to a 5 year deal worth 50 million with much of it end loaded where will realistically will not keep a 37 year old DE.
I think Robison is let go. Thus we sign Griffen to a real nice 5 year $30 million deal. We have a 3rd guy then in Jackson if he can prove his worth and can do as we please. Adding talent is always a good idea ! There's a reason he was a former 1st rd pick !

We couldn't afford to franchise Allen. He's already the highest payed non-QB in the league and making around $17mill. As the highest payed player at his position it used to be at least a mandatory 25% pay hike with the franchise tag which would put him easily over $21million. I'm skeptical about paying QBs that much let alone another position.

Since Allen was tagged by the Chiefs in 2008 and since Drew Brees (and the NFLPA) won a ruling last July regarding whether franchise tags stack over the course of a player's career, tagging Allen a second consecutive time would result in a 144% increase in pay rather than a 120% increase. As a result, the Vikings would have to pay Allen a one-year, fully guaranteed salary of $29.49 M for the 2015 season -- for a two-year take of ~$50 M.

Since Allen was tagged by the Chiefs in 2008 and since Drew Brees (and the NFLPA) won a ruling last July regarding whether franchise tags stack over the course of a player's career, tagging Allen a second consecutive time would result in a 144% increase in pay rather than a 120% increase. As a result, the Vikings would have to pay Allen a one-year, fully guaranteed salary of $29.49 M for the 2015 season -- for a two-year take of ~$50 M.

I honestly think that we franchise Allen for the next 2 years, or maybe sign him to a 5 year deal worth 50 million with much of it end loaded where will realistically will not keep a 37 year old DE.
I think Robison is let go. Thus we sign Griffen to a real nice 5 year $30 million deal. We have a 3rd guy then in Jackson if he can prove his worth and can do as we please. Adding talent is always a good idea ! There's a reason he was a former 1st rd pick !

It will be interesting. The way Griffen has come on the last two years, I think he will be the priority. He's young, really at the prime time. Allen will likely have a really good season, but also this season is a good example that no one will pay up for a 33 year old DE, look how long it took someone like Freeney, Seymour, etc... to get signed. Same for all those in that age category. So I don't think Allen will command that much, but this team has clearly shown it won't overpay (Greg Jennings not withstanding). I like that, the Packers and Patriots have been great fanchises over the last 10-12 years because they didn't overpay, and they were prepared to part with popular guys who were getting up there in years and we looking to cash in big.

Since Allen was tagged by the Chiefs in 2008 and since Drew Brees (and the NFLPA) won a ruling last July regarding whether franchise tags stack over the course of a player's career, tagging Allen a second consecutive time would result in a 144% increase in pay rather than a 120% increase. As a result, the Vikings would have to pay Allen a one-year, fully guaranteed salary of $29.49 M for the 2015 season -- for a two-year take of ~$50 M.

That answers that! I'm sure that was certainly in the back of their minds when they signed Jackson. I'm sure they'll try to keep Allen, but Spielman is committed to staying young, so they won't overpay for either Allen or Robison.

Freeney got a 2 year deal worth $8.75myn, almost the same deal Osi Umenyiora got from Atlanta (thanks NL for the link). So I don't think we have to worry about big, big numbers for Allen. The reality is with the new CBA, rookie salaries are much more reasonable, QBs continue to get paid through the nose, high quality FAs in the sweet spot age wise (25-27) and in the right position can get big deals (Harvin, Wallace, etc.), and guys 32 years plus (Harrison, Winfield, Freeney, there was a very long list this year) are more in the $3-4myn per year range...or no deal at all (Urlacker of recent note).

Jennings might have been the sole exception....oops...

I don't see Allen commanding big money at the end of this season, teams just realize they take too big a risk giving big gteed money to FAs on the wrong side of 30. How many players older than 30 this year got longer than a 2 year deal? I think the safety from Baltimore that went to Houston got a 3 year deal, but that was more window dressing. And he's playing for less than $4myn a year I believe.

Robison will be in the same camp. He's been very solid, I like him a lot, but he's also over 30 and has never registered a double digit sack season. He won't command big money either...unless the 2014 DE draft class is a weak one. Even then, I don't see it.

But it would be best we get a deal done early with Griffen. He had 8 sacks last season as a back-up. He's the right age, he could command a lot if he hits FA, obviously depending how he does this year. I'd try to sign him to an extension before the season starts if possible.